Bottle vending machine



July l0, 1951 H. w. SHIRLEY BOTTLE VENDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 4. 1948 July 10, 1951 H. w. SHIRLEY BOTTLE VENDING MACHINE 5 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Aug. 4, 1948 SWW/who@ i. v WAY/Ziria? Henry July l0, 1951 H. w. SHIRLEY BOTTLE VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4. 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 y .aul

l y Heny July l0, 1951 H. w. SHIRLEY BOTTLE VENDING MACHINE:

-5 sheets-sheet 4 Filed Aug. 4. 1948 .mor/119 July l0, 1951 H. w. SHIRLEY 2,560,255

BOTTLE VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 17e/Vy Y/zif/ey dffarnag amm" Patented .ully 10, 1951 UNITED STAES PATENT OFFICE 2,560,255 v l I BOTTLE VENDING MACHINE Henry Wilbur Shirley, Childress, Tex. Appuceucn August 4, 194s, serial No. 42,390

9 Claims.

This invention relates to bottle vending machines, that is to coin controlled machines for dispensing bottled beverages.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved device of the class mentioned from which a' beverage containing bottle will be dispensed automatically upon the insertion of a suitable coin or token.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the class mentioned in which the bottles to be vended are arranged and maintained in vertical or upright position therein, and dispensed therefrom in said vertical position and in such manner as to minimize the loss of refrigerating air.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a device as mentioned, a refrigerating cabinet 'having a storageV chamber' and a dispensing chamber, dispensing means arranged in said dispensing chamber, and reloading means for the dispensing means arranged in operative relation thereto and in convenient relation to the storage chamber wherebythe bottles may be readily removed from the' storage chamber and quickly loaded into the dispensing means.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic safety device to prevent the insertion of a coin while the mechanism is set to deliver4 a' bottle, and to prevent the delivery of a bottlepwhile the coin chute is open for the reception of a coin.

A further object of the invention is to provide ain' automatic signal for indicating when the dis*- pensing mechanism is empty of bottles.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. The invention will bemore readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings formingapart of this specication and in which:

' Fig. 1V is a top plan view of a mechanism em'- bodying the invention, the topI closures being removed,

Fig. 2 is a'plan Viewv with the'closure's in place,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the housing on the line 3-3-with the dispensing mechanism illustrated in elevation,

Fig. 4Y is -a vertical sectional view of the dispensing' mechanism illustrating the same in the process of delivering a bottle through theV dis*- charge opening,

f Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section of the reloading device, on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic elevation illustrating the starting switch and the power or running switch,

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the same taken at righ-t angles to that illustrated in Fig.-6,

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the safety mechanism upon an enlarged scale,

Fig. 9 is asection on the -line 9--9 of Fig. 8,.

' Fig.- 10 is a detail ofthe signal switch, and

Fig. 11 is a diagram of the electric circuit ofthe machine.

Referring to the drawings, Ii) indicates the cabinet or housing-for the device which may be divided by a partition I i into a dispensing chain-A ber I2 and av storage chamber I3. A refrigerat ing element, designated by the numeral I4, is preferably provided, and arranged at vany con-V venient location inthe storage chamber I3; and said partition I I is preferably reticulate in order that bothchambers I2, and I3 will be uniformly chilled. l

The storage chamber I 3 is provided with a closure I5 giving ready access thereto for a purpose hereinafter described. A closure I6 for the dispensing chamber I 2 extends upwardly from the cabinet I il to encase the upper end of the dispensing mechanism hereinafter described; and said closure comprises a rectangular member having vertical walls` Il and a horizontal top wall I8. The lower edges of the walls I1 rest in rabbets I9 formed in the upper edges of the housing Ill'l The dispensing mechanism comprises generally a magazine rotatably mounted on a vertical axis and having a plurality of vertical cylindrical re' ceptacles, each adapted to hold a plurality'of bottles arranged one upon the other in upright position, discharge mechanism arranged closely adjacent said magazine, means for intermittently actuating said discharge mechanism to raise the bottles in the adjacent cylindrical receptacle and deliver the same one at a time through a de'r livery aperture in the top` of the closure, and means controlled by the discharge of the last bottle from each cylindrical receptacle' for moving the magazine to bring the next receptacle' into operative relation with the discharge mechanism.

The rotary magazine 2l is mounted in a rece tangular' supporting frame comprising a pair' ofv vertically disposed' channel members 22-22, connected at their ends by upper and lower horie zontal transverse members 23 and 2li respectively.

Mounted in bearings 25 and 26 in the respective` transverse frame members 23 and 24 is a verticalv shaft 2l to which are fixed a pair oi discs 28; and fixed to the peripheries of said discs are a plurality of vertical cylinders 29 each of which consti'- tutes a receptacle for a plurality of bottles 30 stacked end on end. The cylindrical receptacles 29 are slightly larger in internal diameter than the diameter of the bottles to be dispensed, and are of sucient'height to accommodate the desired number of bottles. As illustrated in the drawings there are preferably twelve receptacles each adaptedl to hold four bottles, which gives the magazine 2-I a capacity of four dozen rbottles'.

Each cylindrical receptacle 129 is provided with a bottom 3l upon which the stack of bottles normally rests. Each receptacle '29 is formed with a longitudinal slot 32 in the radially outward portion of its wall, said slot extending the entire length of the receptacle. The bottom 3| is provided with a radial slot 33 forming a continuation of the slot 32 for a, purpose hereinafter described.

Fixed to the upper portion of the shaft 21 below the transverse frame member 23 is a crown ratchet 36 having a web 31 andV a hub 38 by means of which it is xed to the shaft Y21. The ratchet 36 exten-ds above the upper end of the rotary magazine 2l and is provided with a number of teeth 39 corresponding in number to the number of cylinders 29, in the present case twelve. Pivotally mounted at 4i) on the cross frame member 23 isa release lever 4I having a depending detent 42 which rides on the upper edge of the crown ratchet 36 and engages the teeth 39. The operation of the release lever will be fully described hereinafter.

Fixed to the upper end of the shaft 21 is a grooved pulley 45. Secured to, and wound about said pulley is a flexible cable 4E which passes over an idlev pulley 41 and fixed to a weight 4-8 suspended thereby. It is obvious that by raising the detent 42 to release the ratchet 38, the magazine will be turned by means of the weight 4-3 the distance between the centers of adjacent cylinders 29, such action taking place when the last bottle isgdelifvered from the respective cylinders, as will ,hereinafter :more fully appear.

'After the detent is raised to release the ratchet, it rides lon the upper edge of the ratchet until it is engaged by the next ratchet tooth 39. To prevent rebound when the tooth 39 is thus engaged, the web 31 of the ratchet is provided with stops y119 which are engaged by a pa-wl 50 pivotally mounted on the frame member 23. In order to prevent lateral displacement of the release lever di and detent 42, a guide arm 43 is extended from the frame member 23 and bears against the lateral edge of said lever.

As hereinbefore stated the bottles are delivered upwardly one at a time through the top wall i8 of the dispensing chamber closure I6. To. this end the wall i8 is provided with a discharge opening 53 which is normally closed by av 'disc 59 held in place by an annular member 55' riveted or otherwise secured to the said wall. The disc, within the member 55 is provided with radial slits 5-8 forming a plurality of exible tongues 51 which are forced outwardly by the bottle as it emerges from the cabinet. When the bottle is removed by the purchaser the tongues return to normal position, closing the opening and preventing loss of the refrigerated air; `It should also be noted that the dispensing-of the bottles through the top of the device further conserves the chilled air as the same is heavier than the normal atmosphere. --The dispensing mechanism consists generally inY an endless chain 68 arranged in close prox imity to the magazine 2l and passing around upper and lower sprockets El and 62 respectively, bottle'engaging means on said chain adapted to engage the bottles through the slots 32, and means for intermittently driving said chain.

-To support said chain and sprockets a vertical frame member -53 is provided, which is connected at its upper end to the frame member 23 by-a horizontal member 84, and at its lower end to `themember 24 by a bar 85. The shaft 69 of the lower'sprooket BZ-is connected to a motor 61 through reducing gearing, not shown.

The chain 88 extends from slightly below the which is in parallel y-with bottom of the magazine to above the upper end thereof and is provided which are spaced apart half the length of the chain, and project outwardly from the face thereof. The feet 88-69 are adapted to extend through the slot `32 of the adjacent cylinder 29 and engage under the lowermost bottle therein. The motor is actuated upon the insertion of a coin in the machine, as will hereinafter appear. to raise one of the feet within the slot a distance equal to the height of a bottle, and thereby proj ect the upper portion of the uppermost bottle in the cylinder through the discharge opening 53. This is repeated upon the insertion of a coin until the cylinder is emptied. One foot will empty one cylinder, and as this is being done the other foot travels downwardly with the outer lap of the chain in order to be in position to engage the bottles in the next succeeding cylinder when the same is brought into dispensing position.

Extending laterally from the side of the chain 88 adjacent the supporting frame member 63 are trip pins 1| and 12; these are arranged on the chain a short distance in advance of the feet G8 and -69 respectively. The release lever 4l extends into the path of the pins 1I and 12 and as -soon as the respective foot has discharged the last bottle from the cylinder, and has cleared the upper end of the magazine, the corresponding pin 'H or 12 will raise the lever M, disengaging the detent from the crown ratchet, and permitting the weight 9 to shift the next cylinder into discharging position. A guide strip 13 forms a backing for the working lap of the chain and maintains the foot within the cylinder from which the bottles are being dispensed.

Abracket lll fixed to the upper end of the frame member 83 supports the idle pulley 41, and a tubular housing guide 15, also secured to the member 83, is provided for the weight 48.

To set the device into operation a coin-actuated starter switch is provided which initially closes the circuit to the motor 61 and thereby starts the chain B8. After the chain moves approximately a half inch a main running switch the starting switch is closed and the starting switch opened. This portion of the device is illustrated diagrammatically in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings.

A coin chute S8, having an opening slot 8| in the top wail I8, extends `substantially vertically downwardly to an arcuate portion 82. Pivotally mounted, as at 83 on a bracket 83 is a mercury type starting switch comprising a lever 85, and the mercury capsule 88 fixed thereto. The pivot 33 is at the center of curvature of the arcuate portion82, and the end of the lever 85 is provided with a laterally extending pin 81 which extends through an arcuate slot 88 in the chute portion 82 and in the path of a coin passing through the chute. A coin engaging the pin 81 will move the lever 85 into the position illustratedin dotted lines in Fig. 6, and thereby tilt the capsule 88 sucientlyvto cause the mercury therein to engage =thetermini of the iiexible conductor wires 88 and close the circuit to the motor 61. The outer ends of the flexible wires 88 are secured to-an insulating block 89 where they are connected respectively to a conductor 99 leading to the-motor, and a conductor 9| connected to line wire 92. A conductor 93 from line wire 94 completes the circuit to the motor.

Supported in any suitable manner on a stationary portion of the machine, such .as the weight guide 15, is a bracket 98 upon which is mounted with two feet 68 and 69 the main running switch 99. vThis switch99-comprisesaii insulating block a switch arm |0| pivotally mounted above the Same, and contacts loz'fmamounted onsaid 1010er maand arm |01 resptifve-ly,A and connected in parallel with the starting. switch `84 to the motor 61. A, spring |04 tends tdkeep the switch 99 closed. The arm is arranged upon the opposite side oftheY chain 60 fromthe release lever 4|, and lies parallelto andfadjacent the chain 60,'as sho-wn in Fig. 7.

Fixed .to the chain 60 and extending laterally therefrornvon the.. side. adjacent the switch arm .|0| 'area Vplurality of trip pins |01. The pins .|01 are arranged on the chainin two, groups, each group. corresponding in number tothe number of bottles contained in eachv of the cylindricalreceptacles. 29in the present instance four.; and the pins in each. group. are spaced apart a distance equa1. .to the height of individual bottles tof be dispensed.

The switch arm 0i| lies inthepath of the pins A|01,.and-the forward end of the arm |0| is provided `vwith an angular shoe |05 again st which the-,pms iride ,andliftthe arm to break the circuittothe motor. When the machine is at rest one ofthe pins .|01 lies Ain the pcsitionshown vin Fig. 6, thereby maintaining the contacts |02-| 03, separated.

W-hen a. coin is inserted in the chute, and the starting-switch 84 has. been actuated thereby to closefthe circuitto the` motor, the `chain 60 is moved in `the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 6.

.AsfsoonA as the chain. moves a short distance,

approximately one half inch, the pin |01 moves out o'fcontactV with 'the arm |0| permitting `engagement of the contacts |02-l03 and closing the circuit: through the-runningswitch .99 lto .the motor 61. i

Further downward movement of the pin |01 causes fthe |08 of-a lever |09, Vhich is pivoted .as at Hi] to a vcross member of the frame. --To the opposite end, I|2 of the'lever |09 is attached a. ilexible cord ||3 which passesthrough an eye ||4 xedto a frame member ||5and is secured to an arm I IG on the mercury switch 84. When; the pin |01 actuates the lever |09 as described, the mercuryor startingswitch is returned to normal position. breakingy the circuit therethrough and setting the same for next operation.

When the coin Chas tilted the startinggswitch into `the positionillustrated in dotted lines. in Fig. 6 it rolls oi of the pin 81 into the upper end ofv extension .chute ||1 which leads to a coin receptacle, as shown. The lower portion of the outer wall of the chute is cutaway as indicated at. ||8 to permit the pin 81 to pass. the coin.

Means` are provided to obstruct theopen end of the magazine cylinder 29 whichl is located at the discharge station, when the device is not in operation; and to close the coin chute when the mechanism is in operation. Preferably these are so constructed and operated that` as one is opened the other is closed, and vice versa. Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, |20 indicates an elongated sliding plate mounted in a plane above the upper end of the magazine. An upwardly extending slotted ange |2|.on a horizontal frame member |22 serves as abearing for the end adjacent the cylinder. 29 anda rectangular sleeve- |23. extending-inwardly from the coin chute 80 provides a bearing for the :adjacent end |24. A lever |25, pivoted intermediate its ends. at |26, is provided with a slot |21 for aI pin |28 on the sliding member |20. A spring |29 connected to the opposite end of same to engage and depress the .end

the lever |25 yand attachedv to a stationary por* tion of the frame, tends to move theinemberj|20 in position to obstruct delivery of a bottle` from the cylinder '29, as illustrated in' full lines in Fig. a.

A .latch arm 3 pivoted at |32.is providedwith a detent |33Which engages behind a shoulder 34 on the sliding member |20,and holds itindelivery obstructing position. Av spring, |35 yieldingly holds the latchin position.

` Formedon thelatch arm is a cam face |36 which is engaged by a pin '|31'carried byVv an arm solenoid |40 is connected in series with the starting switch 84 so that when Saidswitch is closed then upon the insertion of a coin, the solenoidis energized causing the pin |31 to ride on'thecam face |36, retractillg the detent. the slide |20. The core |39y of the so1enoid"`is alsoconnected'to the lever 25 .,b`y, alink |4'.|, 1's o that the lever is ,actuated to move ,the slide 20`to open the discharge, end of thev cylinder, and' v to closethe' coin Chute 80. vA normally opensafety switch |42v isarranged in the conductor 93"of the motor circuitv sothat themechanism cannot operate to dispense' the bottles.l untilthe'slide |20 is fully, retract'ed; lTliis switchv comprises an arm |43, pivoted `atQ|44fa`nd extendingl into the path of 'the slide |20. whenfit extends a short distance beyond the 'coin chute arms provided respectively 'with contacts |41 and |48 connected in the conductor 93'. Sprin'g'sj and |50 connectedto the respective arms |43- and |45,hold the switch in open position; thel coin chute formingV a stopfor the varm |"4.3, and. ajpin |49 forminga stop'for the .arm vL45. -f

The yrelease lever 4| is, cut 'hacky as .,at, |53 ,to give clearancelor the bottles. as f they.;` 311:6-, chargedfrom the magazine; and to, ,in"sure. .that

release r.themagazine; a guide|54 .isA [pro ed which spans thelever 4| ,and projects. bey'ondthe samegasl shown in Figs. land 9.

As hereinbeforestated, after the lastbottle has been delivered .from,each. cylinder' 29""a pin 1 or 12 raises the lever 4| and permitsthel aga,- zine torotate andbring the next,cylinder nto discharging relation with the chain.' ,It-is j ablethat a signal be 'given vafter thel last ottle has been delivered from the magaziietddicatethat thel machine isempty. Toithisjenma pair 'of spaced contacts fl 55 are mounted" in .Ian

the bottles will no t engage .under-said. lever ,and

insulating. block les 'exea tathaframepf the,

presses the vcontacts |55 into engagemntandcloses. a circuit` |58 lacross the, lines .92-,94." A signaljlight |59is interposedin the circuit;v 58. and arrangedunder .a translucent sight |60., in the top |'8 of v.the device adjacenuthe .coin s'lotBI..

kReloading of the magazine. mayberea'diiy and speedily done by means.. of a'novel loadlirler del/ficelocated adjacent themagazine and close to the storagespace. This device is illustrated in Figs'. 1 and 5.. AMounted in close proximity to the periphery of the magazine is a tube |63., the V sidethereof next to the magazine being provided-with a longitudinal slot |64. This tube may beattached to a frame member 22 as by a bracket., or `brackets |65. Slidably mounted in said tube is arod |66 having a foot |61 `projecting through said slot |64 and having its upper end bent out- |33l and releasing.

wardly forming a handle |68. In using the reloader it is grasped by the handle 168 and raised until the foot |61 is near the top of the adjacent cylinder 29, said foot passing through the slot 32 in the cylinder. A bottle is taken from the storage space and rested on the foot, and as the rod is lowered other bottles are placed one above the other until the cylinder is filled. The magazine'is then turned anti-clockwise to bring the next cylinder into position, and the operation repeated until allthe cylinders are l-led. AS the magazine' is turnedA during the reloading, the cable46 will be rewound on the pulley 45, as is obvious.

It is believed that the operation of the device will'be clear from the foregoingdescription.

1. In a bottle vending machine, a chamber having a top wall provided with a discharge opening therein, a rotary magazine in said chamber having a plurality of vertical compartments each adapted to contain a single stack of bottles arranged in upright position one upon the other, each of said compartments having a vertical passageway in its outer face and extending the entire length thereof, a vertically disposed endless belt arranged in juxtaposition to the compartment in register with said discharge opening, a motor for driving said endless belt, a foot on said belt adapted to extend through said passageway to engage under the lowermost bottle of the stack; means for closing the circuit to said motor, and means on said belt for breaking the circuit to saidmotor after said foot has been raised the heightof a bottle to be delivered.

2.' In a bottle vending machine, a chamber hav.. ing a top wall provided with a discharge opening therein, a rotary magazine in said chamber having a plurality of vertical compartments each adapted to contain a single stack of bottles arranged in upright position one upon the other, each of said compartments having a vertical passageway in its outer face and extending the entire length thereof, means for rotating said magazine to bring said compartments successively beneath said discharge opening, means for checking the rotation of said magazine when each successive compartment comes into alignment with said discharge opening, avertically disposed endless belt arranged in juxtaposition to the compartment in register with said opening, a motor for driving said belt, a pair of feet on said belt arranged half` the belt length apart whereby one of said feet moves upwardly through the passageway in the compartment which is in discharge position while the other foot is moving downwardly to a position to engage under the bottles of the next compartment; means for optionally closing the circuit to said motor, means on said belt for automatically breaking the circuit to said motor when the bottle engaging foot has raised substantially the height of one bottle, andy means on said belt for freelng said checking means when the last bottle has been delivered from the compartment to permit the magazine to rotate and bring the next compartment into register with the discharge openins.

3. In a bottle vending machine a compartment adapted to contain a stack of bottles arranged in upright positionand end on end, an endless belt having a foot to engage under the lowermost bottle of the stack, a motor for driving said belt, a main switch for said motor, a series of pins on said belt equal in number to the maximum number of bottles accommodated in said `compart-4 ment, said pins adapted to successively engage said main switch and hold the same in open position when the machine is at rest, a coin controlled starting switch in parallel with said main switch to initially start said motor and move the pin out of engagment with the main switch permitting the same to close, and means actuated by said pin for opening the starting switch after the-main switch is closed. l i' 4. In a bottle vending machine a rotary magazine comprising a plurality of vertical compartments each adapted to hold a 'stack of bottles arranged in upright position and resting end on end, delivery mechanism adapted to raise a stack of bottles in one compartment at a time and deliver them upwardly one at a time, means constantly tending to Vrotate said magazine, stop means for holding one compartment at a time in operative relation lto said delivery mechanism until all the bottles are dispensed therefrom, a motor for driving said delivery mechanism, coin controlled mechanism including a coin chute, for closing the circuit to said motor, asliding member adapted when in normal position to obstruct the passage of the bottles from the compartment in operative relation to said delivery mechanism, and in retracted position to close said coin chute, and means responsive to the closing of the circuit to the motor for retractirig said sliding member.

5. In a bottle dispensing machine, a'magazine rotatable on a vertical axis and comprising a plurality of vertical compartments each adapted to hold a stack of bottles arranged in upright position and resting end on end., a delivery mechanism adapted to raise the stack of bottles in one compartment at a'time and deliver the bottles in successive steps, and means for-rotating said magazine to present the vcompartments successively to said delivery mechanism when the preceding compartment is emptied, the last said means comprising a crown ratchet and a pulley fixed to the upper end of said magazine, a cable iixed to and Wound about said pulley, tensioning means for said cable, a lever having a detent on said crown ratchet, and means on said delivery mechanism for momentarily disengaging saiddetent from said ratchet when the lastbottle in the adjacent compartment has been dispensed.

6. In a bottle vending machine, a compartment adapted to hold a stack of bottles arranged end to end, dispensing means for moving said stack upwardly by successive steps to' deliver the bottles one at a time from said compartment, a motor for actuating said dispensing means, coil controlled means including a coin chute and a. coin controlled switch for closing the circuit tosaid motor, a sliding member having one end normally obstructing the passage of bottles from said compartment, and the other end thereof, when' retracted, closing said coin chute, a solenoid in parallel relation with said motor and in series with said coin controlled switch, andsaid ,solenoid having a core operatively connectedwith said slide, whereby a coin deposited in said slot will close the circuit to the motor circuit and to said solenoid, and cause the latter to shift said sliding member' to release a bottle and close-said coin chute. v

'7. A device as set forth in claim 6 further characterized by a latch for holding said sliding member' in normal position, a cam on said latch, and means carried by the core of said solenoid and engaging said cam to release said latch.`

S. In a bottle vending machine, a compartment adapted to'hold a stack of bottles arranged vertically end on end, dispensing means for moving said stack of bottles upwardly by successive steps to deliver the bottles one at a time from said compartment, a motor for driving said dispensing means, a starting switch and a running switch in parallel with each other and in series with said motor, coin controlled means including a coin slot and means associated therewith for closing the starting switch, means on said dispensing mechanism for closing the running switch and opening said starting switch, a sliding member having one end normally obstructing the passage of the bottles from said compartment and the other end of said sliding member closing said coin chute when retracted, a solenoid in parallel relation with said motor and in series with said coin controlled switch, a core for said solenoid operatively connected with said slide, and a safety switch in the motor circuit and arranged to be closed by the end of said sliding member when the latter is shifted by said solenoid to free the bottles and close the coin chute.

9. In a bottle vending machine, a housing comprising a dispensing chamber having a discharge opening in the top thereof, a rotary magazine in said dispensing chamber and having a plurality of Vertical compartments each adapted to contain a stack of bottles arranged in upright posiradially outward portion of its wall,

tion one upon the other, each of said compartments having a vertical longitudinal slot in the dispensing means adapted to operate through said slots to discharge the bottles through said discharge opening; and reloading means comprising a vertical guide xed adjacent the periphery of said magazine, a rod slidably mounted on said guide and having a foot at the lower end adapted to extend through the slots of said compartments when brought into proximity thereto and upon which to rest the bottles while reloading the magazine, and an operating handle on said rod.

HENRY WILBUR SHIRLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

